


To See Her Smiling

by WoodlandGoddess1



Series: Winter Rarepairs 2018 [15]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Past Character Death, Snowball Fight, past arwen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-20
Updated: 2019-01-20
Packaged: 2019-10-13 11:39:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17487407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WoodlandGoddess1/pseuds/WoodlandGoddess1
Summary: Her friend hadn’t smiled in so long. Not since Camlann.





	To See Her Smiling

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the prompt:
> 
> "First snowfall of the season. Character A drags Character B outside for a snowball fight. Later they warm each other up. Romantic fireplace smut encouraged."
> 
> Thanks, Endora, for donating the prompt!

It was wonderful to see her smiling, Mithian realised as Guinevere tipped her head back and inhaled the crisp morning air. Her friend hadn’t smiled in so long. Not since Camlann. Her own smile threatened to dim at the thought. Mithian squared her shoulders as Guinevere started twirling, her neat braid swinging and the mist of her breath fanning out around her.

A fresh burst of snowflakes danced around them.

Mithian crouched when Guinevere stopped spinning, her back to her. Smirking, she scooped up a handful of snow and rounded it into a ball. It struck the back of her head between one heartbeat and the next. Giggling, Mithian bolted as fast as the dunes of snow allowed as Guinevere exclaimed in shock and indignation.

A snowball sailed past her head a moment later.

“You need to work on that aim!”

“Stop moving, and I wouldn’t need to work on it.” Guinevere huffed the words somewhere behind her and Mithian couldn’t help laughing, glancing over her shoulder as she did so — and received a mouthful of snow in an instant. Mithian tripped over her feet and hit the dunes with a shriek as snow filled the gap between her clothes and her skin. Guinevere was on top of her immediately, shoving more snow beneath the collar of her coat and crowing with triumph. “Take that for being a sneak!”

Mithian bucked sharply, using the strength in her arms and core to twist quickly; it served to unbalance Guinevere — who toppled with a startled gasp. Mithian scrambled to dominate the situation and the pair of them soon went rolling a small hill nearby, the pair of them laughing and screaming in delight. She found herself on top at the bottom of the hill and Guinevere didn’t have a chance to protest before Mithian stuffed snow down the front of her red coat. Guinevere began shrieking, her hands waving around in a frantic fashion.

It wasn’t long until the two of them were soaked to the skin.

But neither of them would relent.

Not until Mithian claimed her victory, her hands pinning two strong wrists to the snow as her chest heaved with exertion. Another chest rose to meet her own with each rapid breath. Mithian froze when two pebbled nubs grazed against her own through their sodden clothes and an unexpected jolt ran through her.

It might have been pleasure.

It might have been fear.

Mithian didn’t have a chance to find out: Guinevere took advantage of the moment to slip free and shove her away, pupils blown wide and hands shaking. Cheeks hot with something unnameable. Mithian scrambled to her feet as Guinevere stormed away, boots crunching through the path the pair of them had created in the dunes.

“Hey,” Mithian said once the pair of them were confined in the suite Guinevere had once shared with Arthur. She’d been given the adjoining bedchamber because her friend didn’t want to feel alone in the wake of Camlann. “What happened back there?”

“You know what happened.” Guinevere didn’t look at her as she spoke. But her voice wobbled noticeably, and Mithian knew there were tears building. “I was…I was going to…”

“Kiss me?” Mithian whispered the word in quiet surprise as she closed the distance between them. She let her fingers brush against her arm and then retracted them when Guinevere stiffened. “You wanted to?”

“I shouldn’t.”

“Because I’m a woman?”

“Don’t be silly,” Guinevere said abruptly, her voice choked with tears. Her hand rose to scrub at her face. “Because I’m still…I’m still in love with him. I don’t know if I can stop.”

“You won’t.” Mithian touched her waist and prompted her to turn gently, to let her see her face. “But I’d expect nothing less. You don’t have to stop loving him to want to kiss me. Love doesn’t work like that.”

Guinevere reached for her as a fresh wave of tears cascaded down her face. Her kiss tasted of salt and snow. Mithian moaned softly, winding her arms around her. She couldn’t help shivering, but she didn’t know whether the kiss or the cold was the culprit. She supposed it didn’t matter as she guided Guinevere down onto the fur rug in front of the fireplace. A wave of heat rolled over them as Guinevere scrabbled at the buttons of her coat with a desperation that wasn’t unlike the tightness Mithian felt in her stomach now.

Hopefully, her comforting words would bring the smile back later.

**Author's Note:**

> Not Beta'd. All mistakes are mine.


End file.
